as if Vs like

GMAT_crusher · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 4:50 pm Post subject: as if Vs like

During the war, when it looked as if the German army was going to cross into France, Engilsh mercenaries joined the French to resist the assault.

[a]

[b] it looked like the German army was gaoin to cross

[c] it looked like the German army would have corssed

[d] apprearances were that the German army would be crossing

[e] it appeared that the German army would cross

To me, A seems to be the better choice .. but B is almost the same. Any particular guideline when to use as if .. and when to use like??

sukrant26 · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 7:09 pm Post subject:

why cant E be the right choice?

Does it alter the meaning?.

netigen · Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2008 10:11 pm Post subject:

‘As’ v/s ‘Like’: ‘Like’ is primarily used to compare two nouns like two persons or things while ‘As’ is used to compare clauses or two nouns doing two actions. In formal writing, avoid using like as a conjunction. In other words, something can be like something else (there it's a preposition), but avoid ‘It tastes good like a cigarette should’ — it should be ‘as a cigarette should.’ (Back)
Quickie test: there should be no verb in the phrase right after like. Even in phrases such as ‘It looks like it's going to rain’ or ‘It sounds like the motor's broken,’ ‘as if’ is usually more appropriate than like — again, at least in formal writing.

Given this the ans should be A, whats the OA

cjiang16 · Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:16 pm Post subject:

as if + sentence, and like + non-sentence. that's the difference.

GMAT_crusher · Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:04 pm Post subject:

OA is [E] !!!

Stumped me for sure.! Thanks for explaination though...it helps.

Anubhav Jain · Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2008 10:45 pm Post subject:

whats the final answer guys to this question...????